Pedal for self-playing attachments for pianos.



'PATENTEI) DEC. 1, 1903. J. WIESER.

N0 MODEL.

PEDAL FOR SELF PLAYING ATTACHMENTS FOR PIANOS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 18, 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

I iii '1! imwnmu 5 i llllllllllwllllt WITNESSES ATTORNEYS PATENTED DEG. l, 1903. J. WIBSER. PEDAL FOR SELF PLAYING ATTACHMENTS FOR PIANOS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 18, 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

W/T/VESSES ATTORNEYS No. 745,948.. PATENTED DEC. 1, 1903.

" J. WIESER.

PEDAL FOR SELF PLAYING ATTACHMENTS FOR PIANOS.

APPLICATION FILED MAYTIB, 1903. 7 N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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UNITED STATES IPatented December 1, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH WVIESER, OF NEYV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO KARL FINK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PEDAL FOR SELF-PLAYING ATTACHMENTS FOR PIANOS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. '?4l5,943, dated December 1, 1903. Application filed May 18,1903. Serial No. 157,602. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J OSEPH WIESER, a citizen of the United States,'residing in New York, borough of Brooklyn, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pedals for Self-Playing Attachments for Pianos, of which the following is a specification.

The pedals for self-playing attachments for pianos are either operated by toe or by heel pressure, some preferring the working of the pedals by the toes and others by the heels.

The object of this invention is to furnish an improved pedal mechanism for self-playing attachments for pianos in which the pedals can be operated either as too or heel pedals at the option of the player, which after use may be compactly folded up and moved into the casing of the self-playing attachment; and for this purpose the invention consists of a pedal mechanism for self-playing attachments for pianos and other musical instruments, which comprises a pair of pivoted side bars supported on the base of the attachment, a pedal pivoted to the outer ends of said bars, rocking levers the front ends of which are connected by pivot-links with the pedals, a bellows, and mechanism interposed between said rocking levers and the bellows for operating the latter by the pedals.

The invention consists, further, of certain details of construction and combinations of parts, which will be fully described hereinafter and finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 representsa sectional side elevation of my improved pedal mechanism for self-playing attachments for pianos, showing the pedal in position for being operated by toe-pressure. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation of the pedal mechanism shown as arranged for being operated by heel-pressure. Fig. 4; is a vertical longitudinal section of the same, showing the pedal as lowered by the action of the heel-pressure; and Figs. 5 and 6 are plan views, respectively, of the pedal arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and Similar letters of reference indicate c0rresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, A A represent two pedals,which can be operated by heel or toe pressure after being suitably adjusted. Each pedal is provided .at its front end with downwardly-bent lugs 1,which are connected by detachable pivot-pins b with side bars B,

which are provided with openings at their front ends and pivoted at their rear ends by projecting pins Z) to the base of supports 0, that are attached to the bottom of the casing of the selfplaying attachment, as shown clearly in Figs. 4 and 5. The side bars B rest firmly in horizontal position on the bottom of the attachment when the pedal is used for toe-pressure, as shown in Fig. 1. To the under side of each pedal is pivoted a link D, which is forked at its lower end, so as to ride on the front end of acurved or elbow-shaped lever E,which is keyed to a pivot-shaft S,that is supported in bearings of upright supporting-standards S, which are attached to the bottom of the casing F. The forked ends of the pivot-links D are provided with recesses 01, so as to ride over a transverse pin 6, that projects at both sides of the elbow-shaped lever, as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 2. To the shaft S are attached downwardly-extending lever-arms E, the lower ends of which are connected by pivot-rods R with the bellows G, that serve for producing the suction action on the pneumatics of the self-playing attachment. Thus when the pedal A is depressed motion is transmitted by pivot-link D to the lever E, the front end of which extends forwardly from below upwardly to the under side of the pedal, and the bellows G operated by the alternating action of the pedals in the usual manner, and as the pedal as so far described is operated by toe-pressure it is a socalled toe-pedal.

WVhen the person operating the self-playing attachment desires to operate it by heelpressure, the connection of the pedals has to be somewhat changed. In this case the pivotpin 1), between the side bars B and the lug Z of the front end of the pedal A, is removed and placed through a transverse opening 0 in the rear end of the pedal A and upright supports G on the support 0, before referred to. The connection between the pivot-links D and the elbow-shaped levers E is the same as in the case where the toe-pedals are used.

The downward pressure is now exerted by the heel on the pedal, while the return movement is caused by a suitable spring action. This heel-pressure arrangement is shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 6, and when the same is used the pivoted side bars B are not required and are then thrown up into upright position, as shown clearly in Fig. 3, against the pivotshaft S. The pivot-pin h, passing through the opening" 0 in the rear end of the pedal and the upright standards 0, serves to pre vent the side bars B when in upright position from falling down. Thus by transferring the pivot-pins from the front to the rear connection, or vice versa, either toe or heel pressure may be used.

When after having operated the attachment and the pedals are desired to be folded up in the casing, they are swungup either together with the pivoted side bars in upright position against the shaft S, as shown in Fig. 1, or the pedals are moved up bodily into raised position on their rear supports. In either case, however, the connecting-links D are first disconnected from the front end of the elbow-shaped levers E, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and they are thus well stored away at the inside of the casing, so as not to project beyond the same. Instead of attaching the parts to the bottom of the easing' F they may be assembled on a suitable platform, which is then placed in proper position in the casing and attached to the bottom of the same.

The improved pedal mechanism is of simple construction, readily adj usted for either toe or heel pressure, and can be readily folded out of the way in the casing of the self-playing attachment when not required for use.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A pedal mechanism for self-playing attachments for pianos and other musical instruments, consisting of a pair of horizontal side bars pivoted at their rear ends, a pedal pivoted at its front end to said side bars, a rocking lever the front end of which extends forwardly from below, and upwardly to the under side of the pedal adapted to be coupled at its front end to the under side of the pedal, a spring'actuated suction-bellows, and mechanism between said rocking lever and the bellows for operating the latterby the oscillations of the pedal, substantially as set forth.

2. A pedal mechanism for self-playing attachments for pianos and other musical instruments, consisting of a pair of horizontal side bars pivoted at their rear ends, a pedal pivoted at its front end to said side bars, a link pivoted to the under side of the pedal, a rocking lever adapted to be coupled at its front end to the pivot-link, a spring-actuated suction-bellows, and mechanism between said rocking lever and the bellows for operating; the latter by the oscillations of the pedal, substantially as set forth.

3. A pedal mechanism for self-playing" at tachments for pianos and other musical instruments, consisting of a pair of pivoted side bars, a pedal, a pivot-pin connecting the front end of the pedal with the front ends of the side bars, a pivot-link forked and recessed at its lower end pivoted to the underside of the pedal, a rocking lever provided with a pin at its front end for coupling with the forked recessed end of the pivot-lin k, a springactuated bellows, and mechanism between said rocking lever and the bellows for operating the latter by the oscillations of the pedal, substantially as set forth.

4-. A pedal mechanism for self-playing attachments for pianos and other musical in struments, consisting of a pair of pivoted side bars, a pedal, a pivot-pin connecting the front end of the pedal with the front ends of the side bars, a pivot-link forked and recessed at its lower end pivoted to the under side of the pedal, a rocking lever provided with a pin at its front end for coupling with the forked recessed end of the pivot-link, a pivot-shaft for said rocking lever, a spring-actuated bellows, and mechanism between said pivot-shaft and the bellows for operating the latter by the oscillations of the pedal, substantially as set forth.

5. A pedal mechanism for self-playing attachments for pianos and other musical instruments, consisting of a pedal, stationary supports provided with a pivot connection for the rear end of the pedal, a rocking lever connected with the under side of the pedal, a spring-actuated bellows, and mechanism between said rocking lever and the bellows for operating the latter by the oscillations of the pedal, substantially as set forth.

6. A pedal mechanism for self-playing attachments for pianos and other musical instruments, consisting of a pedal, stationary supports provided with a pivot connection for the rear end of the pedal, a rocking, lever, a pivot-link at the under side of the pedal connected with the front end of said rocking lever, a spring-actuated bellows, and mechanism between said rocking lever and the bellows for operating the latter by the oscillations of the pedal, substantially as set forth.

7. A pedal mechanism for self-playing attachments for pianos and other musical instruments, consisting of a pedal, stationary supports provided with a pivot connection for the rear end of the pedal, a rocking lever, a pivot-link at the under side of the pedal, connected with the front end of the rocking lever, pivot-shaft for the rear end of the rocking lever, stationary supports-for said pivotshaft, a spring'actuated bellows, and mechanism connecting said pivot-shaft with the bellows, substantially as set forth.

8. A pedal mechanism for self-playing" attachments for pianos and other musical instruments, consisting of a pedal, stationary supports provided with a pivot connection for the rear end of the pedal, a forked and recessed pivot-link at the under side of the pedal, a rocking lever provided with a pin at its front end for coupling With the forked recessed end of the pivot-link, a pivot-shaft for the rear end of the rocking lever, stationary supports for said pivot-shaft, a spring-actuated bellows, and mechanism connecting said pivot-shaft with the bellows, substantially as set forth.

9. A pedal mechanism for self-playing attachments for pianos and other musical instruments, consisting of a pedal provided with lugs at its front end, an opening at its rear end, a pair of pivoted side bars provided with an opening at their front ends, stationary supports each provided with an opening, a rocking lever, a pivot-link at the under side of the pedal adapted to engage with the front end of the rocking lever, a suction-bellows, mechanism connecting the rocking lever with the bellows, and a removable pivot connection adapted to connect the front ends of the pivoted side bars With the lugs at the front of the pedal, or the stationary supports with the rear end of the pedal, depending whether the pedal is to be used for toe or heel pressure, substantially as set forth.

10. A pedal mechanism for self-playing attachments for pianos and other musical instruments, consisting of stationary supports, side bars pivoted at their rear ends to said supports, a pedal provided with pivot-holes at the front and rear ends, stationary supports for the rear end of the pedal, a removable pivot connection adapted to connect the front ends of the pivoted side bars With the front end of the pedal, or the stationary supports With the rear end of the pedal, a pivotlink pivoted to the under side of the pedal, a rocking elbow-lever adapted to be detachably connected With the lower end of said pivotlink, a pivot-shaft to which the rocking lever is attached, a spring-actuated suctionbellows, and mechanism between the pivotshaft and the suction-bellows for operating the latter when pressing the pedals either by toe or heel pressure, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOSEPH WIESER.

Witnesses:

PAUL GOEPEL, C. P. GoEPnL. 

